Morrissey explains defamation case against online troll: “The scale of the manipulation is one of the worst and most malicious ever seen by the team

Morrissey has shared details about his ongoing defamation lawsuit against an online troll, describing the alleged actions against him as “malicious” attempts at manipulation.

The news that the former Smiths frontman had started a lawsuit came last week (April 4), when it was reported that he obtained a cease-and-desist letter against an alleged online troll. It comes as a response to a “decades-long” defamation campaign allegedly targeted at him.

Reports were shared by Music Business Worldwide, and revealed that Morrissey hired law firm Levy & McRae to take action against an individual based in the UK – accusing them of posting “distressing, harmful and libellous” content about the artist over multiple social media accounts.

Now, the artist has made a post on his official website, sharing a statement with further details about the lawsuit and the “malicious” defamation campaign he is looking to quash. It explains how there have been impersonations of him on social media, putting forward “false narratives designed to destroy his career.”

“The Web Sheriff [ a global online protection firm] have indirectly contacted Morrissey having discovered an online campaign of fraud, disinformation and defamation targeting Morrissey,” it read. “The scale of the manipulation is one of the worst and most malicious ever seen by the team, who have worked on similar cases for Beyoncé, Prince, Bob Dylan, Adele and Radiohead.”

“The campaign against Morrissey is characterised by fake websites, impersonation on social media, identity fraud, and sustained harassment on Facebook, X, Twitter, Instagram – all social networks that Morrissey has not ever visited,” it added. “Emerging online data is falsely signed in Morrissey’s name in an attempt to associate the artist with false narratives designed to destroy his career.

“These postings date back several years. Morrissey has no personal presence on such networks, and has not ever possessed a smartphone.”

It continued to say that the findings by The Web Sheriff would soon be “delivered to the British Police Force’s National Cyber Crimes Unit”, as well as highlighting how his long-mooted ‘Bonfire Of Teenagers’ album is still unreleased, and how the singer will be hitting the road for a solo tour later this spring.

In the lawsuit, obtained by Music Business Worldwide, those representing Morrissey accused the individual of publishing “an enormous amount of material about our client on an almost daily basis”, as well as having “left and/or posted written notes at and to” Morrissey’s home.

“The narrative of your posts almost exclusively relates to ‘far right’ politics, and in particular, those politics which are the antithesis of our client and what he has always stood for and represented,” the letter, addressed to the alleged perpetrator, read. It also described Morrissey as “a pacifist, apolitical” person who has “never joined a political party or voted”.

“You are creating and perpetuating a harmful global narrative that is inaccurate, defamatory and has driven the media to repeat these falsehoods,” it added.

In a statement from The Web Sheriff, shared last week, the company claimed that “a person of interest” had been identified, as had additional perpetrators “in both Britain and Europe, as well as the United States”, who are expected to be identified imminently as well.

The news of the lawsuit in recent days comes as the Smiths’ icon has divided fans over the years for his comments and actions relating to politics. These have included him showing support for controversial far-right, anti-Islam political party For Britain, previously wearing a badge for the party during a 2019 television appearance.

In the past, he has also described the Chinese people as a “subspecies”, referred to Hitler as ‘left wing’ and claimed that London Mayor Sadiq Khan “can not talk properly”. After being criticised for supporting English Defence League Founder Tommy Robinson, he issued a statement in which he said he “despised racism and fascism” and voiced his support for Muslims.

As for more music from the artist, last November Morrissey claimed he was prevented from releasing new music due to a war on “free speech” and claimed that “you cannot speak freely in England” or else “you’ll be sent to prison”.

The post Morrissey explains defamation case against online troll: “The scale of the manipulation is one of the worst and most malicious ever seen by the team appeared first on NME.